“What do I need to look for, Andi?”
Andi smiled at her, grateful for her quick mind and willingness to help him out. “Silk protein. The kind caterpillars produce. Unless you or CSI have already found it since the last report we got?”
Evangeline put her mug down. “No. It’s not something we usually look out for unless it’s clothing, because it’s quite useless and insignificant in terms of practically everything. I gather it’s neither useless nor insignificant for this case?”
“It could be the breakthrough we need.”
She sighed. “Don’t hold out much hope for anything on the victims. Silk protein and water don’t mix well.”
“It doesn’t have to be on the victims, although that would be perfect. If it’s in the cabin, we could work with it.” Andi gave her what he hoped was a pleading look. Evangeline waved her right hand.
“Ua lelei, ua lelei, I’ll see what I can do. Just don’t expect any miracles.”
“Thank you, Evangeline, you’re the best.” Andi got up.
“I know. Now out of my office. Apparently, I’ve got work to do. If I find your silk, I’ll even come up with a good reason why I tested for it in the first place.”
“I love it when you give me a good backup story.” Andi wasn’t foolish enough to blow her a kiss, but he did incline his head to indicate a bow. Evangeline waved them off.
“’Aua le popole. No worries. You make me look good. It’s the least I can do.”
They left the morgue and took the stairs back up to their own office. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Andi couldn’t help but tease George a bit. His partner looked at him as if he had swallowed a lemon.
“I don’t know what bothers me more, your nudging or the promptness with which Evangeline, Shireen, and Forard react to it.”
“You heard Evangeline, and I think Forard has mentioned it as well—I make them look good. And there’s little risk for them when they follow my ‘hunches.’ Worst-case scenario, it doesn’t pan out. People will still think they’re just being very thorough, which isn’t a bad thing in our profession.”
“No, not a bad thing at all.” George held the door to their floor open for Andi. “So, now we’re going to call Sophia McHill and Tamara Portius and see if we can visit them this afternoon. Come to think of it, let’s see if Theodora Miller is free as well. I don’t know about you, but I’m still not entirely sold on her being fine with her husband’s affair with a man.”
“Me neither. What do we do until they agree to see us? If they agree to see us.” Andi knew very well how quickly the upper crust could clam up when dealing with the police.
George sighed. “I hate to say this, but we should probably work through our lists of remaining suspects, seeing who we can cross off without relying on your very true and very unprovable information that it was two women who killed the victims.”
“Fun times.” Andi shuddered. “Perhaps we should get something to eat first?”
“Now you’re stalling. We just had breakfast.” George pulled his keys from the front pocket of his slacks. “Let’s go. You can call the wives while I drive.”
Grinning happily, Andi followed his partner outside.
13. A New Web
THEY WERElucky, at least George said it was luck that all three women agreed to meet with them this afternoon. They went to Theodora Miller first, partly because talking to her with what they knew now would be the easiest part of their day, partly because she was the only one who said she didn’t have to call her lawyer and was free at 1:00 p.m.
The widow led them into the same room as on their first visit. Once they were all seated, she looked at them expectantly, her perfectly coiffed hair falling down on her shoulders in soft waves, her expression as neutral as it had been when they told her about her husband’s death.
“Thank you for making time for us again, Mrs. Miller.” As always, George tried to be polite, even though the raised brow of Mrs. Miller clearly stated how unimpressed she was by his gratitude.
“It’s always a pleasure.” If there was a hint of sarcasm in her reply, George obviously chose to ignore it. Andi was once again glad he was doing the talking because he would have already lost his temper with the woman.
“We’re here to talk to you about the contract you had with your late husband.”
“I know. Jeremy called to let me know you would be coming.”
George was surprised. He had half expected for Jeremy Fisher’s story to be false. “So what he said is true?”
“About the contract? Absolutely. I have it here, assuming that’s what you wanted to talk about.” She pushed a clear plastic binder that had been hidden under a small tablecloth across the table to them.
“You seem to be getting along well with your husband’s lover.” Andi took the binder.
